Busy Microsoft

MANILA, Philippines — We are about done with the first week of Lent, a period that was supposed to be slow and conducive for reflection.

Instead, we had more of the usual — reports of killing and dying, of thieving and lying, and of hurting and maiming. Maybe it is part and parcel of our season of passion to suffer, to be tortured by these developments that highlight our seeming powerlessness, our apparent inability to make any difference at all in the overall course of things.

But don't give up. Do hold on. Lent goes on for about five weeks more.

Heavy Week

Microsoft had an interesting week. First, Cisco Systems made it known that it plans to appeal the European regulators' approval of Microsoft's purchase of Skype. Senior vice president Marthin De Beer's post on his company's blog says that while they do not oppose the merger per se, they wish the European Commission would require Microsoft to offer "standards-based interoperability."

Bottomline of Cisco Systems' opposition to the Microsoft-Skype deal has to do with the impending marriage between Skype and Microsoft's Lync unified communications system. A Skype-Lync tandem would combine the best that consumer and business telephony systems offer.

Should a closed platform emerge from the merger (which most observers think will happen), Cisco Systems' competing technologies might get left out in the rain, cold and lonely.

Meanwhile, rumor mills have been busy. According to some "news leaks," Microsoft is reportedly preparing its Tango update for the Windows Phone 7 smartphone operating system. Russian Web site WP7Forum.ru has it that the update will endow the Microsoft mobile OS with features including the ability to manage contacts right there on the SIM card.

But the most exciting bit would be the Tango's ability to run on 256MB Windows Phone, which would be like Windows 8 running on a Pentium III PC.

Sony's Vita Push

Sony launched its PlayStation Vita handheld gaming platform in the United States and European markets last week. The basic, WiFi version is priced at $250, while the 3G-equipped edition goes for $300 and a monthly data fee from AT&T.

Sony is pushing the Vita with a $50 million marketing campaign.

Unlike with its PlayStation Portable experience, however, Sony is likely to find it hard to sell the Vita. After all, for quite so long now, consumers have been used to playing games on mobile phones and other handheld gadgets that aside from doing games can also perform other tasks, such as make phone calls, take photos, shoot videos, connect to the Web, and play digital songs.

So, the million-dollar question now is why would any game-loving consumer buy the PlayStation Vita when it makes much more sense to buy an iPhone, or any Android or Windows Phone 7 smartphone instead?

The Vita comes with a 5-inch screen, front- and rear-facing cameras, and is powered by a quad-core processor, which is also found inside the market's currently fastest tablet computers.

Certainly, the Vita launch means so much for Sony. After too many quarters of not so pleasant developments, Japan's electronics giant could use some good news.

This corner hopes enough numbers of mobile gamers fall in love with the latest portable gaming console from Sony.

That's all for the meantime, folks. Join me again next time as we keep on watching IT.

source: mb.com.ph

Lloyds expects lower income in 2012

London (Financial Times) -- Lloyds Banking Group made a pre-tax loss of £3.54bn in 2011 after a big reduction in loan impairment losses was unable to compensate for a previously announced £3.2bn charge arising from the payment protection insurance mis-selling scandal.

The partly state-owned bank added that income was likely to be lower in 2012 than it was in 2011 and confirmed it would miss key medium-term financial targets. However, it also predicted that impairments -- losses taken on bad loans -- would ease faster than expected this year, while cost savings were also set to accelerate.

"I don't think this is a profit warning," said António Horta-Osório, chief executive. Lloyds shares, which have rallied in recent weeks after a steep decline in 2011, fell 2 per cent to 35.86p in early morning trading in London on Friday.

The £3.54bn pre-tax loss compares with a profit of £281m in 2010. On a "combined businesses" basis -- a Lloyds-devised measure of underlying performance -- it posted a £2.69bn profit, an increase of 21 per cent.

Income net of insurance claims -- a measure of sales for banks -- fell 17 per cent from £24.96bn to £20.77bn, reflecting subdued lending demand, disposals of non-core assets and a lower lending margin.

Impairments dropped 26 per cent to £9.79bn on a combined businesses basis. Mr Horta-Osório said a similar reduction was expected in 2012, adding that this guidance was stronger than the market had been expecting.

He said the predicted improvement reflected the disposal of non-core assets as well as more astute new lending: "The quality of new business is better."

Lloyds also said its restructuring programme would yield cost savings more quickly than expected, with an extra £200m pencilled in for 2014 without any increase in predicted job losses.

"It is a matter of going quicker than going deeper," said Mr Horta-Osório, who returned from two months of medical leave last month.

Lloyds said in November it might not be able to deliver some medium-term, mainly income-related goals. On Friday, it said it expected that the achievement of these targets would indeed be delayed.

It said the downbeat prediction that combined businesses income in 2012 would be lower than the £21.12bn posted in 2011 reflected a continued reduction in non-core assets, weak demand for loans, higher wholesale funding costs and low interest rates.

Net interest margin fell from 2.21 per cent to 2.07 per cent and is expected by Lloyds to dip below 2 per cent in 2012. Its core tier one capital ratio, the key measure of balance sheet strength, rose from 10.2 per cent to 10.8 per cent at the end of 2011.

Source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/02/24/business/uk-lloyds-loss/index.html?hpt=ibu_c2

Swedish hospital looking for 'TV-series' hot nurses

A hospital is looking for attractive nurses who are "TV-series hot."

Or not. The Stockholm South General in Sweden ran an advertisement that said: "You will be motivated, professional, and have a sense of humour. And of course, you will be TV-series hot or a Soder hipster."

"Throw in a nurse's education and you are welcome to seek a summer job at Sodersjukhuset's (Stockholm South General) emergency department," the ad said.

However, Jorgen Andersson, the nursing manager, later told the news site The Local, an English-language Swedish newspaper, that the ad was only meant to catch people's attention.

While the hospital wanted to hire competent nurses, it also wanted to stand out with their ad campaign, Andersson said.

The hospital hasn't received any negative feedback, a report of the news site Emirates 24/7 said on Wednesday.


"We hope we piqued your curiosity and you want to come and meet us, so we can tell you more about your future as a nurse," a statement of the hospital said.

Last year, Philippine Vice President Jejomar Binay said job opportunities in Sweden may be opened for Filipino nurses.

article source: http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/249094/pinoyabroad/swedish-hospital-looking-for-tv-series-hot-nurses

Obama to offer corporate tax plan

Washington (CNN) -- The Treasury Department will unveil President Barack Obama's corporate tax reform plan on Wednesday, senior administration officials told CNN.

Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner told a Senate panel last week the plan will be an effort to find "common ground" on broad principles between Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill.

"We want to maximize the chance we can take advantage of that (common ground) to build consensus on something that's going to work," Geithner told the Senate Finance Committee.

The Obama administration has been talking about unveiling a plan to fix the corporate tax system for well over a year.

Senior administration officials Tuesday would not provide details of the president's plan. They said it will be consistent with his commitment to fairness and the message he laid out in the State of the Union address.

In the State of the Union address and in subsequent speeches, Obama has called for ending tax breaks for companies that outsource jobs overseas and lowering rates for U.S. businesses that create jobs at home.

"Right now, companies get tax breaks for moving jobs and profits overseas," Obama said in his address to Congress in January. "Meanwhile, companies that choose to stay in America get hit with one of the highest tax rates in the world. It makes no sense, and everyone knows it. So let's change it. "

Obama also said that it was time to end subsidies and tax breaks for the oil industry, which "rarely has been more profitable," while increasing tax credits for developing alternative energy sources.

Last year, the pressure for a corporate tax system fix heated up with news of General Electric's zero tax rate in 2010 due to profits overseas and losses at its financial unit. General Electric CEO Jeffrey Immelt is the chief of Obama's Council for Jobs and Competitiveness.

The top corporate tax rate of 35%, among the highest in the world, has long been bemoaned by business leaders and tax experts. They say it discourages foreign investment in the United States and hinders the ability of U.S. companies to compete internationally.

The Obama administration is expected to talk about lowering the top rate while axing some of the more than 130 business corporate tax breaks currently on the books and limiting companies' ability to shift profits to nations where tax rates are lower.

"In short, it will help level the playing field for businesses and allow the government to collect needed revenue while promoting economic growth," Geithner said in his written statement to the Senate panel.

source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/02/21/politics/obama-corporate-taxes/index.html?hpt=ibu_c2

Barnes & Noble unveils $199 Nook Tablet

NEW YORK — U.S. bookseller Barnes & Noble unveiled a new version of its Nook tablet computer Tuesday, a device with the same $199 price tag as Amazon’s Kindle Fire.

The seven-inch (17.78-centimeter) Nook Tablet also has eight gigabytes of memory like the tablet released by online retail giant Amazon in November.

Apple’s cheapest iPad costs $499. Barnes & Noble released a $249 Nook Tablet with 16 gigabytes of memory in November.

Barnes & Noble also said it was slashing the price of its Nook Color electronic book reader to $169 from the current $199.

The New York-based bookseller also announced its fiscal third-quarter results on Tuesday.

The company said its net profit fell to $52 million in the quarter compared to $60.6 million in the same quarter a year ago. Revenue was up 5% at $2.4 billion in the quarter which ended on Jan 28.

“Our physical book sales at our stores increased more than four percent over last year,” Barnes & Noble chief executive William Lynch said in a statement.

“Our Nook digital content business continues to grow rapidly,” Lynch added. “According to some of the largest US publishers, we maintained or slightly gained share in the e-book market during the third quarter.”

Barnes & Noble said sales of digital content and Nook tablets and e-readers rose 38% during the quarter to $542 million.

source: japantoday.com

Apple Settles iPhone 4 “Antennagate” Class Action Suit, Free Money or iPhone Case Could be Yours!

When the iPhone 4 launched in 2010, some users immediately complained about poor reception when using the device. It eventually came to light that gripping the phone in a certain way covered the antenna integrated into the bezel and appeared to cause a not-insignificant signal drop. That was all in the past. However, Apple has now settled a class-action suit with dissatisfied customers, with those affected winning their choice of a free iPhone case or $15. Don’t spent it all in one place!

Back in 2010, Apple responded to the initial furor with a revamped algorithm for displaying signal strength, but also issued free iPhone cases to affected customers. With the cases, users were unable to completely block the antennas and thus unable to block the signal. The fact that free iPhone cases are once again being offered might seem a touch ridiculous, though they are apparently being offered to those who were unable or uninterested in taking advantage of the 2010 offer.

While $15 per person sounds like a paltry sum, the class-action suit covered some 18 individual lawsuits affecting 25 million customers. That’s a hefty chunk of change, though it’s widely known that Apple has oceans of cash at its disposal.

If you’re part of the lawsuit you should receive an email from Apple within the near future. If you are looking for something to do with your $15, I suggest getting $40 more and buying one of these. Functional, dangerous, and it will probably keep you from messing up your antenna.

(via Macworld)

source: http://www.geekosystem.com/apple-iphone-antenna-lawsuit/

Simpsons marks 500th episode; Assange guest stars

LOS ANGELES — “The Simpsons,” the long-running U.S. television animated comedy show, reached its landmark 500th episode Sunday, with an appearance from controversial WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.

America’s most famous dysfunctional cartoon family have played out their lives before a worldwide audience for over two decades since the distinctive yellow characters Homer, Maggie and children Bart, Lisa and baby Maggie first burst onto American TV in 1989.

The series has become the longest-running comedy in US television history and in its 23rd season is currently the longest-running prime time scripted show.

In the 500th show, Homer and Marge discover Springfield residents are holding a secret meeting to kick them out of town, for all the trouble they’ve caused over the years.

After being sent into exile, the Simpsons arrange to meet with Assange in a bid to clear their names.

The show’s executive producer Al Jean acknowledged last month that Assange, who leaked massive amounts of sensitive diplomatic and military documents, was a controversial figure.

“There was discussion internally whether or not to have him on the show, but ultimately we went ahead and did it,” said Jean in Entertainment Weekly.

He added “there’s nothing we did that has anything to do with the legal situation that he’s in.”

Assange is wanted in Sweden for questioning about allegations of rape and sexual assault, and he fears extradition to the United States for possible prosecution for the leak.

“We wanted to make sure it was satirical, and he was willing to do that,” Jean added.

“Thanks for 500 shows,” the show said in a note attached to the end of Sunday’s episode. “All we ask is that you go out and get some fresh air before logging on the Internet and saying how much this sucked.”

“The Simpsons” has a history of including high profile guest appearances, from Hollywood stars and musicians to politicians—including former British Prime Minister Tony Blair—and famously elusive figures such as U.S. novelist Thomas Pynchon and British graffiti artist Banksy.

Over the past 20 years, it has entered into the national and global consciousness as an icon of television entertainment.

It’s success has surprised even creator Matt Groening, the creative spark behind the family that lives in the shadow of a nuclear reactor, in a fictional town called Springfield.

“Audiences were ready again for a prime-time animated TV show,” he told the Los Angeles Times on Saturday on the eve of the 500th episode.

“We were the first out of the gate and, using a very conservative template of a family sitcom, found a way to tell jokes in many different styles,” he said.

“It’s really crazy that something so quirky is so popular, but whatever that mix is, it works.”

source: japantoday.com

Brian Austin Green & Megan Fox His & Hers Rock Hard Bodies

Proving their marriage is as fit as they are, original "90210" star Brian Austin Green, 38, and his gorgeous bikini-clad 25-year-old wife Megan Fox got touchy feely with each other while showing off their happily married ripped physiques in Hawaii this weekend.

They are abs-olutely perfect for each other.

article source: http://www.tmz.com/2012/02/20/megan-fox-brian-austin-green-ripped-bodies-hawaii/#.T0LQA9n64zA

Single-atom transistor busts records

PARIS — Researchers in Australia said on Sunday they had made with pinpoint accuracy a working transistor consisting of a single atom, marking a major stride towards next-generation computing.

The device comprises a single phosphorus atom, etched into a silicon bed, with “gates” to control electrical flow and metallic contacts that are also on the atomic scale.

“Our group has proved that it is really possible to position one phosphorus atom in a silicon environment, exactly as we need it, with near-atomic precision, and at the same time (incorporate) gates,” said lead scientist Martin Fuechsle.

Transistors, which switch or amplify electrical flow, are the building blocks of computer chips.

For more than 50 years, the semi-conductor industry has been upholding Moore’s Law, the celebrated prediction by Intel Corp. pioneer Gordon Moore that the number of transistors on a chip would double every 18 months or so.

But the astonishing run of success could hit a wall by the end of this decade without a breakthrough in miniaturizing transistors.

The team made the transistor from a silicon crystal that was placed in a vacuum.

To etch it, they used a device called a scanning tunneling microscope, which is able to see atoms and manipulate them using a super-fine metal tip.

Phosphorus atoms were deposited in a nano-scale “trench,” covered with an inert layer of hydrogen, and the unwanted ones were then weeded out. A chemical reaction welded the “transistor” atom to the silicon surface.

The minute device operates in ultra-cold temperatures provided by liquid helium.

It is not a finished product but proof-of-principle, designed to show that single-atom devices can be built and controlled.

Scientist have made atomic-scale transistors in the past, but through a chance find rather than by design, said Michelle Simmons, director of the Centre for Quantum Computation and Communication at the University of New South Wales, where the work was carried out.

“But this device is perfect,” she said.

“This is the first time anyone has shown control of a single atom in a substrate [chip base] with this level of precise accuracy.”

The research is reported in the specialist journal Nature Nanotechnology.

source: japantoday.com

iMessage Comes To OS X

MANILA, Philippines — In a rather surprising new behavior, Apple announced the next generation Mac operating system, 10.8 aka Mountain Lion, by giving press folks a developer preview *before* the developers. In addition, Apple made an announcement outside of their usual venues - the Apple campus, Moscone or Yerba Buena. Personally, I think that Apple's next public announcement will be huge (think iPad 3!).

Anyway, Mountain Lion developer preview is now available to developers, of course. I have yet to download it, but one new feature has been made available as a beta, and that is Messages. Messages is Mac OS X iChat and iOS iMessage combined.

Not too long ago, I wrote about bringing FaceTime support on both iOS and Mac OS X and that happened. Next thing I wrote was about bringing iMessage on iOS to interface with iChat, and Apple simply did that. You can now download Messages as a beta app, only if you are running Lion.

Messages is definitely on beta, i.e., there are bugs and lots of it. First thing to notice, if you hide or minimize the app, your message history gets cleared. Not good. Second, unlike Facetime, you will not get a notification when you receive messages unless Messages is running.

Third, launching Facetime from within the application will fire the FaceTime app instead of having an integrated service. The same goes true for other instant messaging protocols (iChat will fire up).

Despite these bugs, it is functional. I have tried sending from one Mac to another, from iPhone to the Mac and Mac to iPad, and all worked perfectly fine -- getting replies as well.

What does this mean? First off, SMS will definitely get hit. One can send messages to an iPhone without resorting to the carrier's SMS -- mobile data connection required, of course. iMessage already saved me money, and with desktop SMS capability, it definitely will save me more. This is akin to Chikka, remember that desktop IM service that sends and receives SMS messages?

One flaw of Messages is that it is exclusive to iOS devices and Macs only. I am confident that Apple will release Messages for Windows as well. When this happens, it will be encouraging users to buy an iOS device or two.

So, if you are running Lion on your Mac, download the beta app and help Apple test it. They are testing the infrastructure, for sure. Apple needs to tweak their servers to be able to scale up once Messages comes out of beta.

article source: mb.com.ph

Diet soda tied to heart attack, stroke risks: study

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Diet soda may benefit the waistline, but a new study suggests that people who drink it every day have a heightened risk of heart attack and stroke.

The study, which followed almost 2,600 older adults for a decade, found that those who drank diet soda every day were 44 percent more likely than non-drinkers to suffer a heart attack or stroke.

The findings, reported in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, don't prove that the sugar-free drinks are actually to blame.

There may be other things about diet-soda lovers that explain the connection, researchers say.

"What we saw was an association," said lead researcher Hannah Gardener, of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. "These people may tend to have more unhealthy habits."

She and her colleagues tried to account for that, Gardener told Reuters Health.

Daily diet-soda drinkers did tend to be heavier and more often have heart risk factors like high blood pressure, diabetes and unhealthy cholesterol levels.

That all suggests that people who were trying to shed pounds or manage existing health problems often opted for a diet soda over the sugar-laden variety.

But even after the researchers factored in those differences -- along with people's reported diet and exercise habits -- they found that daily diet soda was linked to a 44-percent higher chance of heart attack or stroke.

Nevertheless, Gardener said, it's impossible for a study to capture all the variables that could be at work.

The findings do build on a few recent studies that also found diet-soda drinkers are more likely to have certain cardiovascular risk factors, like high blood pressure or high blood sugar.

This is the first study, Gardener said, to look at actual "vascular events" -- that is, heart attacks, strokes and deaths from cardiovascular causes.

The findings are based on 2,564 New York City adults who were 69 years old, on average, at the outset. Over the next decade, 591 men and women had a heart attack, stroke or died of cardiovascular causes.

That included 31 percent of the 163 people who were daily diet-soda drinkers at the study's start. In contrast, 22 percent of people who rarely or never drank diet soda went on to have a heart attack or stroke.

There was no increased risk linked to less-than-daily consumption. Nor was regular soda tied to heart attacks and strokes.

If diet soda, itself, somehow contributes to health risks, it's not clear how, Gardener said.

There's research in rats suggesting that artificial sweeteners can end up boosting food intake and weight. But whether results in rodents translate to humans is unknown.

"I don't think people should change their behavior based on this study," Gardener said. "And I wouldn't advocate drinking regular soda instead."

Regular soda is high in calories, and for people who need to shed pounds, experts often suggest swapping regular soda for the diet version.

A study out this month found that the advice may be sound. Obese people who were randomly assigned to drink water or diet drinks in place of sugary ones lost about five pounds over six months.

Gardener said that further studies such as hers are still needed to confirm a connection between diet soda and cardiovascular trouble.

Ultimately, she noted, clinical trials are considered the "gold standard" for proving cause-and-effect. That would mean randomly assigning people to drink diet soda or not, and then following them over time to see if there were differences in their rates of heart problems or stroke.

A study like that, Gardener said, would be "difficult and costly" -- since it would have to follow large groups of people over many years, and rely on people to stick with their assigned beverages.

article source: mb.com.ph

90% of Americans eat too much salt: study

WASHINGTON — About 90% of Americans eat too much salt every day, and the top food offenders include cheeseburgers, pizza, bread, deli meat and potato chips, U.S. health officials say.

The average American eats about 3,300 milligrams of sodium per day, and that does not include salt added from the shaker on the table, said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Vital Signs report.

U.S. guidelines recommend that people limit sodium to less than 2,300 milligrams per day.

High risk populations—including African-Americans, people 51 and older and those with with high blood pressure, diabetes, or chronic kidney disease—should stick to 1,500 milligrams daily.

“Too much sodium raises blood pressure, which is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke,” said CDC director Thomas Frieden.

“These diseases kill more than 800,000 Americans each year and contribute an estimated $273 billion in health care costs.”

The report pointed to 10 types of food that add up to more than 40% of the nation’s sodium intake.

Poultry, soups, cheese, pasta dishes, meatloaf rounded out the top 10.

Some 65% of Americans’ sodium comes from food sold in stores, and 25% comes from meals in restaurants.

The CDC urged people to check labels for salt content, eat more fresh vegetables without sauce, and limit consumption of processed foods.

source: japantoday.com

Egypt's Presidential Nominations On Schedule

CAIRO (AP) – Egypt's Supreme Constitutional Court said Sunday the nominating period for presidential candidates will open March 10 and last four weeks, but stopped short of announcing a date for the election.

Farouq Sultan, the head of the court committee overseeing the vote, told reporters that a decision is expected soon on when Egypt will hold presidential elections, adding that balloting will take place over one or two days. But he said the an-nouncement of the winner, even from a potential run-off; would be declared by the end of June, which would suggest the vote could be held no later than early June.

The timing of the presidential elections has been a highly divisive issue in Egypt. Activists who have been critical of the military's handling of the country's transition to democracy want the ruling generals to hold the elections earlier than June and hand over power to a civilian administration immediately. However, the military rulers still have the support of a broad spectrum of the Egyptian public who see them as the only viable leaders able to run the country until a president is elected.

Several leading figures already have expressed an interest in running for president.

Ex-Arab League chief Amr Moussa, a former foreign minister under Mubarak and a popular figure, has already begun campaigning, as has Ahmed Shafiq, a former air force pilot who served as prime minister at the height of the anti-Mubarak protests. He would likely be looked on favorably by the generals.

Mohammed Salim El Awa, a lawyer who has written a book on the concept of Islam and governance, is also expected to submit his nomination.

Among Egypt's Islamists, there is Abdel-Moneim Aboul-Fotouh, a longtime liberal within the Muslim Brotherhood who has gained support among the pro-revolution crowd. He was expelled from the group because he declared his intention to run for president after the Brotherhood said it would not field a candidate. There is also Hazem Abu Ismail, who draws his core support from the ultraconservative Salafis, who form the second largest bloc in parliament after the Brotherhood.

The most notable absence from the field is Nobel laureate and former U.N. nuclear watchdog chief Mohamed ElBaradei. He withdrew from the race last month, saying a fair election would be impossible under the military's grip. He said the election would likely not bring a real end to the generals' rule.

Many activists believe the military wants to ensure the race produces a president who will support its interests and allow it to have a strong voice in politics even after it formally steps aside. Egypt's last four presidents have come from within the top ranks of the military, ensuring that for decades the army remained untouchable. The military has already tried to prevent or limit civilian oversight of its budget under the future system.

According to a referendum supported last year by a majority of Egyptian voters, eligible candidates must not have held dual nationality, must not be married to a foreigner and must be at least 40 years old. Egyptian-born candidates will also need 30,000 signatures or the backing of at least 30 lawmakers. The military decreed the results as law.

Parliament said Sunday that it will review all of the laws decreed by the military council. Some lawmakers were angered that the presidential law was issued just days before the new parliament convened for the first time last month.

Separately, Arizona Sen. Jon McCain arrived in Cairo Sunday evening, a day after Egypt set a trial date of Feb. 26 for 16 Americans and 27 others in a case against foreign-funded pro-democracy groups that has badly shaken ties with Washington. McCain chairs the International Republican Institute, which is one of four US -based groups under investigation. American officials have threatened to cut $1.5 billion in aid over the spat, most of which is allocated to the Egyptian army. The senator, who serves on the Senate Armed Services Committee, is expected to meet with Egypt's top military rulers during his visit.

source: mb.com.ph

Whitney Houston's journey 'home' ends

Newark, New Jersey (CNN) -- Whitney Houston's journey "home" ended with a private burial in New Jersey on Sunday as questions persist about what caused the superstar's death.

A crowd gathered at the entrance to Fairview Cemetery in Westfield, south of Newark, where Houston's body arrived late Sunday morning. She was laid to rest next to her father in the cemetery.


Her burial brings an end to her "coming home," as her family dubbed the invitation-only memorial service held a day earlier at her childhood church in Newark.

The family-only burial is in contrast to the emotionally charged, star-studded memorial service held at New Hope Baptist Church, where Houston, nicknamed "Nippy," was soloing in the junior choir by age 11.



"Jesus Loves Me" was the last song Houston sang in public before her death on February 11 in Beverly Hills, California, at the age of 48.

So it was fitting that the mourners -- comforted and encouraged by the likes of Stevie Wonder, Alicia Keys and R. Kelly -- heard the simple, but powerful, "Jesus Loves Me," this time performed by CeCe Winans.

The mourners inside the church represented an amalgamation of Houston's life, from childhood friends to gospel singers, from music stars to movie stars.

"You literally felt like this was just a girl from New Jersey who had a few famous friends, and it was such a celebration of life," CNN producer Raelyn Johnson, who attended the funeral, said Sunday.

"It is the same church service that will go on in so many churches across the country this morning ... and it was celebration, it was singing, it was praise for three hours." Johnson said. "And it wasn't until the very end that you remembered that this was a funeral and a very sad day for a lot of people."

Kevin Costner, who cast Houston in her first role alongside him in "The Bodyguard," recalled how she questioned whether she was good enough, beautiful enough to be cast in the film.

"It was the burden that made her great and the part that caused her to stumble in the end," he said.

For her closest friends inside the church, and strangers who continue to draw inspiration from her voice, Costner's words hit a painfully honest note about human frailty.

Years after "The Bodyguard" hit theaters, reports of Houston's struggles with drug addiction and a rocky marriage with Bobby Brown surfaced and her album sales declined.

"The inexplicable burden that comes with fame," Costner said. "Call it doubt. Call it fear. I've had mine. I know the famous in the room have had theirs."

Costner said Houston's own story could help a new generation of young girls who dream big.

"Maybe they're thinking they aren't good enough," he said. "I think Whitney would tell you: Guard your bodies. Guard the precious miracle of your life. Then sing your hearts out, knowing that there's a lady in heaven who's making God himself wonder how He created something so perfect."

One of the most emotional moments in the service came when Keys recalled how Houston helped her and others achieve success.

"She reached back to so many people; she reached back to me, to Monica and Brandy ... and just made us feel strong and capable and loved," she said.

Keys ended her tribute to Houston by singing "Send Me an Angel," her voice soaring into the rafters of the sanctuary.

Oprah Winfrey, Mary J. Blige, Mariah Carey, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Spike Lee were among those who attended.

"It wasn't until the very last moment that you pinched yourself and said, 'There's Oprah Winfrey with a face full of tears, there's Tyler Perry with a face full of tears," said Johnson, recalling the moment that Houston's casket was carried out of the church. "It all really sunk in and got really, really heavy."

Houston's former husband, Bobby Brown, also arrived at the service but left soon after. Brown walked by Houston's casket with his head down before the service began and then left. Brown accused security of treating his family badly and barring him from visiting with his daughter, an account that Houston's family denied.

Brown was expected to attend with two guests but showed up with 10 people and sat in a section reserved for family, a close friend of the Houston family told CNN on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue.

When Brown refused to reseat his entourage to make room for Houston's mother, the family asked police to intervene, the family member said.

Mourners heard only a few indirect references to her personal battles.

A close family friend told CNN recently that Houston had not used "hard drugs" for several years. Investigators are examining prescription drugs found in her hotel room.

At the time of her death, Houston was in the Los Angeles area for the annual Grammy Awards and was to attend a party hosted by her longtime mentor and record producer, Clive Davis. She was discovered dead in her hotel suite at the upscale Beverly Hilton.

Investigators are contacting doctors and pharmacies across the country, seeking answers about prescriptions found in Houston's hotel room and whether they played a role in her death, a source with knowledge of the investigation recently told CNN. The source spoke on condition of anonymity citing the ongoing investigation.

Houston's death certificate is only fueling speculation after coroners deferred making a determination as to the cause of death pending the outcome of toxicology tests.

The investigation also sparked questions on her behavior during her final days, with authorities examining video from her television appearances as well as other reports to determine her physical state leading up to her death on the eve of the Grammy Awards, the source said.


Source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/02/19/showbiz/whitney-houston/index.html

Whitney Houston Death Hotel Guests Demand Refund ... Hotel REFUSES

Multiple guests staying at the Beverly Hilton Hotel the day Whitney Houston died claim their stay was absolutely UNBEARABLE due to commotion surrounding the singer's death -- and the hotel has done nothing to address their dissatisfaction.

TMZ spoke with several guests who stayed on the 4th floor when Whitney died -- the same floor Whitney had been staying on -- and they tell us ... the entire floor was on lockdown over the weekend, making their lives miserable.

We're told guests couldn't walk down a hallway without being hassled for their key cards by hotel security -- to prove they were, in fact, guests of the hotel.

Worse ... we're told law enforcement and EMS were running all over the hotel all weekend, creating an intolerable ruckus -- making it impossible to get a moment's quiet, let alone sleep.

When guests asked the hotel to refund their money, or offer a discount -- we're told the hotel refused ... instructing guests to file an official complaint either online or at the hotel's front desk.

A rep for the Beverly Hilton tells TMZ, "Given the extraordinary nature of the events of last Saturday evening, The Beverly Hilton took every precaution to protect the privacy of the Houston Family as well as the hotel guests who may have been impacted by the incident."

The rep adds, "The hotel cooperated fully with the Beverly Hills police which included securing the fourth floor to insure the safety and well-being of all guests ... and regrets any inconvenience that may have occurred in the immediate aftermath of Saturday’s events."

source: http://www.tmz.com/2012/02/19/whitney-houston-death-hotel-guests-refund/#.T0EIndn64zA

Fans to late pop idol Houston: 'We will always love you'

NEWARK — Fans of Whitney Houston paid last respects to their "homegirl" singer Saturday in the streets of Newark outside the church where her life and career were celebrated in a moving funeral service.

Some bore large pictures of their late idol, wore T-shirts with her image and sang the songs that made Houston one of the best-selling divas of all time.

One sign drew from Houston's lyrics to say, "We'll always love you, Whitney."


A gold hearse with a large "W" in the rear window rolled up to the New Hope Baptist Church, and Houston's casket was laid before some 1,500 mourners inside, while diehard fans gathered outside behind police barricades.

"This is a day in history for me and I just wanted to get as close to her as I could," said Tamecca Melvin, a Jersey City resident who remembered Houston before her days of stardom.

She was among many spectators remembering Houston from her childhood in the neighborhood, including her debut as a choir singer at the church where she was being memorialized.

"This was a tragic thing, and she was too young to go, she was too special to go," Melvin told AFP.

"I grew up with her, even though she was a megastar, she was a homegirl, she always kept that persona about her and I loved that about her," she said.

Houston died one week ago at age 48 in a Beverly Hills, California, hotel room. Although drugs are suspected as an factor, no official cause of death has been announced.

She dominated the pop and soul music scene in the 1980s and 1990s, selling more than 170 million records.

The streets immediately surrounding the red brick church were largely quiet Saturday after police blocked them off, but a crowd of hundreds of well-wishers formed beyond the barriers and the rows of TV cameras as a star-studded service took place inside.

Before the funeral service began, some fans left when police would allow them to approach no closer than two blocks from the church.

Others, like Melvin, stayed.

A few spectators began singing the words from Houston's smash hit, "I Will Always Love You," but the tune drifted off.

Elizabeth Wilson, another fan who waited beyond the police line, said, "It was the family decision. They wanted it to be private. We have to respect that."

Among guests at the funeral were civil rights leader Jesse Jackson, Motown legend Stevie Wonder, Grammy winner Alicia Keys, Houston's "Bodyguard" costar Kevin Costner, and her cousin, singer Dionne Warwick.

As music wafted from the church, some fans outside danced slowly in the streets.

A Philadelphia man brought a large drawing of Houston that he asked people attending the funeral to sign.

"She would not have wanted us to be sad," one spectator who identified herself as Cynthia told AFP. "We are mourning, but it is a celebration. It is a party to say 'We love you.'"

Nearby, James German, 48, said in a low voice, "Rest in peace, Whitney."

At a wake on the night before the funeral service, Houston's fans danced and sang to celebrate her life.

They also put up an impromptu memorial to Houston in front of the New Hope Baptist Church that included balloons, flowers and personal mementos. — AFP

source: gmanetwork.com

Aspirin may inhibit spread of cancer

SYDNEY —Aspirin and other household drugs may inhibit the spread of cancer because they help shut down the chemical “highways” which feed tumors, Australian researchers say.

Scientists at Melbourne’s Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre said they have made a biological breakthrough helping explain how lymphatic vessels—key to the transmission of tumors throughout the body—respond to cancer.

“We’ve shown that molecules like the aspirin… could effectively work by reducing the dilation of these major vessels and thereby reducing the capacity of tumors to spread to distant sites,” researcher Steven Stacker said.

Doctors have long suspected that non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin may help inhibit the spread of cancer but they have been unable to pinpoint exactly how this is done.

By studying cells in lymphatic vessels, the researchers found that a particular gene changed its expression in cancers which spread, but not when the cancer did not spread.

The results published in Cancer Cell journal reveal that the gene is a link between a tumor’s growth and the cellular pathway which can cause inflammation and dilation of vessels throughout the body.

Once these lymphatic vessels widen, the capacity for them to act as “supply lines” to tumors and become more effective conduits for the cancer to spread is increased.

But aspirin acts to shut down the dilation of the vessels.

“So it seems like we have found a pivotal junction point in a biochemical sense between all these different contributors,” Stacker said.

The discovery could lead to new and improved drugs which could help contain many solid tumors, including breast and prostate cancer, as well as potentially provide an “early warning system” before a tumor begins to spread.

Last year, a study published in medical journal The Lancet found that rates of cancer of the colon, prostate, lung, brain and throat were all reduced by daily aspirin use.

Many doctors recommend regular use of aspirin to lower the risk of heart attack, clot-related strokes and other blood flow problems. A downside of extended daily use is the risk of stomach problems.

source: japantoday.com

Apps for iPad 3: What Apple should demo at the grand unveiling

(Wired) -- All indicators suggest Apple will unveil the iPad 3 during the first week of March. That's less than a month away, and sources at The Next Web say Apple is in "crunch mode," working hard to line up apps that show off the unique features of the next-gen tablet.

The iPad 3 is expected to feature a high-definition, 2048 x 1536 "retina display." If the new screen does appear in Apple's big reveal, it should provoke all the excitement of the company's first retina display, which appeared in the iPhone 4 in 2010. According to a source who spoke with The New York Times, the next iPad's screen will be "truly amazing."

So which apps might Apple use to show off the brilliance of its new display hardware? We've identified four key app categories that would be ideal for demo'ing the HD display. We've also spoken to software developers about their iPad 3 aspirations. None would spill any beans concerning launch-day involvement, but we did learn more about how the developer community is anticipating the new display.


Photography

Apps for shooting and viewing photographs would be ideal for showing off not only a high-resolution display, but also an improved camera, which is also a highly likely upgrade.

iOS 5 has a hidden panorama mode that developers haven't yet been able to take advantage of. So, if an iOS update accompanies the iPad 3 launch, we might expect Apple to finally show off panorama mode in conjunction with an improved rear-facing camera. (The current iPad 2 camera is merely iPod touch caliber.)

And if Apple doesn't want to show off its own panorama capabilities, apps like TourWrist and 360 Panorama would be great candidates to show off such a feature.

TourWrist CEO Charles Armstrong is so confident that Apple will be doubling the number of pixels in the height and width of its next tablet, his team is already preparing a new version of its app. "It's four times as many pixels. That makes logical sense, and that's what we're anticipating."

Source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/02/14/tech/gaming-gadgets/ipad-3-apps-update/index.html?hpt=hp_t3

Singer Whitney Houston dies at 48

Los Angeles (CNN) -- Legendary pop singer Whitney Houston was found dead Saturday at a Beverly Hills, California, hotel, officials said. She was 48.

The entertainer, whose incredible talent was discovered at an early age, was pronounced dead at 3:55 p.m. (6:55 p.m. ET) at the Beverly Hilton hotel despite resuscitation efforts, a police spokesman said.

Beverly Hills Police Lt. Mark Rosen said there were "no obvious signs of criminal intent" and that the cause of her death is being investigated.

Houston's bodyguard found her body, said Courtney Barnes, publicist for hip-hop artist Ray J, who was dating the pop diva.

According to her official website, Houston sold more than 170 million albums, singles and videos. But she also struggled with addiction problems over the years.

Houston, whose hits included "The Greatest Love of All," died on the eve of the 54th annual Grammy Awards at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. She had performed as late as Thursday night at a pre-Grammy event in the area. A pre-Grammy party was scheduled Saturday night at the Beverly Hilton.

Music producer Jimmy Jam, after conversations with those heading up to Sunday's night show, told CNN that he believes the event will change significantly -- including a tribute to the singer.

The entertainer recently returned to a movie set for "Sparkle," a remake of the 1976 hit, which was loosely based on the story of The Supremes. It is scheduled be released nationwide in August, according to Sony Pictures. It was her first movie role since 1996's "The Preacher's Wife."

News of her death elicited a flood of reaction from fans and fellow celebrities alike.

Singer Aretha Franklin said, "I just can't talk about it now. It's so stunning and unbelievable. I couldn't believe what I was reading coming across the TV screen. My heart goes out to Cissy (Houston's mother), her daughter Bobbi Kris, her family and Bobby (Brown)."

Dolly Parton, who wrote "I Will Always Love You," said, "mine is only one of the millions of hearts broken over the death of Whitney Houston. I will always be grateful and in awe of the wonderful performance she did on my song and I can truly say from the bottom of my heart, 'Whitney, I will always love you. You will be missed.'"

Another entertainment legend, Quincy Jones, said he was "absolutely heartbroken" by the news. "She was a true original and a talent beyond compare," he said.

Houston's body of work included a string of Billboard No. 1 hits in the 1980s, including "Saving All My Love for You," "How Will I Know," "The Greatest Love of All," "Where Do Broken Hearts Go," and "I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)."

Billboard put her soundtrack to the 1992 movie "The Bodyguard" as one of the top 10 biggest-selling albums of all time. She also starred in the film with Kevin Costner. The soundtrack included the hit,"I Will Always Love You."

source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/02/11/showbiz/whitney-houston-dead/index.html

IMF: Europe crisis could halve China's growth

WASHINGTON — An escalation of Europe's debt crisis could slash China's economic growth in half this year, the International Monetary Fund said Monday, urging Beijing to prepare stimulus measures in response.

The IMF, in an economic outlook report on the world's second-largest economy, highlighted China's vulnerability to global demand.

"The global economy is at a precarious stage and downside risks have risen sharply," the IMF said.

"The most salient risk is from an intensification of feedback loops between sovereign and bank funding pressures in the euro area, resulting in more protracted bank deleveraging and sizable contractions in credit and output in both Europe and elsewhere."

The IMF outlined the negative impact if the eurozone crisis tipped Europe into a deep recession, dragging China's growth lower mainly due to shocks through trade.

In that "downside scenario" China's growth would fall by around 4.0 percentage points this year from the 8.2 percent rate the IMF projected in January, the Washington-based institution said.

In that case, "China should respond with a significant fiscal package."

"The weak external outlook underscores the importance of accelerating the transformation of China's economy to reduce its vulnerability to the vagaries of global demand."

The IMF forecast last month that its "downside scenario" would shave 1.75 percentage points off 2012 global growth, currently projected at 3.3 percent. — Agence France-Presse


source: gmanetwork.com

Madonna's Super Bowl Show: Halftime Fumbles Queen of Pop slips and M.I.A. flashes the bird during performance.

During the 13 minutes Madonna took over Super Bowl XLVI for her highly anticipated halftime show, there were plenty of surprise cameos, high-tech stage lights and, of course, some of the biggest classics in pop music.

But even though the Queen of Pop's glitzy show Sunday night (February 5) appeared to run smoothly, the over-the-top theatrics might have shadowed some of the fumbles. Take a look at the list of onstage slip-ups MTV News caught during the pop performer's set.

Madonna's Almost Fall(s)
It was only a few minutes into the show, but Madonna lost her balance and almost fell as she jumped around the flashing bleachers with her dancers during her performance of "Music." She also teetered a few minutes later while getting up after getting down with LMFAO. Fortunately, the singer found her ground and demonstrated how a professional handles a little performance slipup, continuing without missing a beat.

M.I.A.'s Finger Flash
Madonna wouldn't be Madonna without even a little controversy, but this time, it wasn't even her fault. During the performance of the pop titan's new single, "Give Me All Your Luvin," M.I.A. and Nicki Minaj appeared as sideline cheerleaders to spit their rap contribution to the pop gem. Known for her rebellious attitude, M.I.A. flashed her middle finger for a split second that has already fueled headlines all over the Internet.

Backing Track
While Madge is getting lots of love from celebrities, there are many who are criticizing the Queen of Pop for what appears to be a mostly backing-track performance. However, lip-synching isn't unfamiliar territory for the Super Bowl. Back in 2009, the championship game's producer Ricky Minor told the Associated Press that he requested Jennifer Hudson lip-synch her rendition of the national anthem to limit the chances of possible mistakes.


article source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1678570/madonna-super-bowl-halftime-fumbles.jhtml